Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses

Slipknot recorded Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) with producer Rick Rubin at the Mansion in Los Angeles, California in 2003 ^[3] . Earlier there were assumptions regarding the possibility of the third album and the future group, as some members worked in other musical projects. When the album was completed, the group stated that these side projects “saved the group” and “helped [them] break out of the box in which [they] were.” However, having returned together and worked hard, their disagreements hindered the recording process at the initial stage. During an interview in 2008, drummer Joey Jordison said “we haven't talked to each other for three months, we just sat there, wasting money in a fucking Houdini mansion.” In retrospect, drummer Sean Crahan says: “In the end, we are tired, waiting for the garbage to happen. We gathered - we had several types of beer (some beer) - and wrote a very elaborate, used song called “Happy Ending” ” ^[4] .

In an interview in 2003, Joey explained that, despite the initial problems, more than enough material was written for the album, and added that “it’s better to have material from which to choose than to agree to shit”, unlike how on previous albums Slipknot decided too early with fewer songs ^[5] . The band members had different opinions about working with producer Rick Rubin. Some of them, given personal experience, doubted his commitment to Slipknot when he shared his time among many artists at once. In an interview, vocalist Corey Taylor admitted that he drank heavily throughout the time spent in the mansion: “I woke up and started drinking until I was cut down again.” “Everything that I recorded when I drank sounded like complete shit,” he expressed how dissatisfied he was with the choice of vocals that appeared on the album. At the same time, percussionist Crahan was working on Voliminal: Inside the Nine, a documentary video on the process of creating the album and subsequent tours ^[6] .

The album cover depicts a “maggot mask” designed by Sean Crahan ^[7] . The mask was made of stitched leather with a zipper around the mouth ^[7] . Copies of the mask can be purchased as part of the goods of the group ^[8] . She is shown in the music video “Vermilion” from the second single of the album, in which the group appears whenever the main character wears a mask ^[9] .

Prior to the release of the album, the band released “Pulse of the Maggots” in full, a free downloadable track on the now defunct SK Radio site. It was available for one day, March 30, 2004 ^[10] . It also marked the beginning of the Slipknot world tour “The Subliminal Verses”, which began with their appearance on the “Jagermeister Music Tour” ^[11] , and on May 4, 2004, the song “Duality” ^[12] was released as the first official single. Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) was released on May 25, 2004 ^[13] . Simultaneously with the release of the album, a special edition was released on 7-inch red vinyl ^[14] . Other singles from the album include "Vermilion", "Before I Forget" and "Blister Exists" ^{[15] [16] [17]} . On April 12, 2005, a special edition of the album was released containing a bonus disc ^[18] .

Prior to the release of Vol. 3 , the band members promised a more experimental album; drummer Jordison described it this way: “it’s almost as if Slayer to put on Radiohead ” ^[5] . For the first time in Slipknot’s career, the songs “Circle” and “Vermilion Pt. 2 ”were performed with acoustic rather than electric guitars. According to Todd Burns from Stylus, the songs “Pulse of the Maggots” and “Before I Forget” combine the style of “percussion metal” ^[19] . Allmusic wrote that the tracks Blister Exists, Three Nil, and Opium of the People combine the two extremes of their recognizable metal faces with melody, and the most obvious changes in vocal style. Entertainment Weekly wrote that the album “[jumped] between overly powerful fast metal and intrusive acoustic rock” ^[20] .

Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) was the first Slipknot album, which did not require an age limit because it did not contain profanity. In a 2008 interview, guitarist Mick Thomson explained that vocalist Taylor had refused to use profanity, believing that lawsuits could follow. According to Allmusic, the lyrics of Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) includes metaphors and touches on topics such as anger, discontent, and psychosis. Taylor's vocal performance was noted; Stylus especially praised Taylor's performance on the final track, “Danger - Keep Away,” and called the track the most “depressing and emotional” on the album. Burns noted that Vermilion Pt. 2 ”, there is“ majestic vocal harmony ”, and also that“ in general, the riffs have not lost their impact, but it seems that now the group wants you to also appreciate their vocal and lyrical impact ” ^[19] .

↑ bonus track in the Japanese version of the album

↑ Australian edition